Cab signal system.



R. J. HEWETT.

CAB SIGNA'L SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED KPH. I1, 1917.

1,295,896. Patented Mar. 4,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET III-I ATTORNEYS R. J. HEWETT. QAB SIGNALSYSIEM. APPLICATION FILED APR. I7. 1917- Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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H F i A ITOH/VEYS R. J. HEWETT.

CAB SIGNAL SYSTEM.

3 SHEETS SHEET 3.

' W W a A TTORNEYS nal indications are UNITED srnrns arana ornron.

ROBERT J. HEWETT, OF WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

CAB SIGNAL SYSTEM.

Application filed April 17, 1917. Serial 160162525.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT J. Hnw rr'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVestfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cab Signal Systems, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to railway signal systems and more particularly to signal systems in which the signals are carried by the traveling vehicle. 7 t

The primary object ofthe invention is to provide a normal danger signaling system of this character which is adapted to give either larly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows one embodiment of the signaling system in which two different sigpositively given within the vehicle; and

Figs. 2 and 3, when combined, show another embodiment of the invention, provid ing a signaling system in which three positive signal indications are given within the vehicle.

I11 Fig. 1, a trackway is shown which is divided into blocks, T", T T T T etc., which blocks are connected together by roadside control circuits, which are of a standard type, and will be hereinafter described in connection with the operation of the system. Diagrammatically shown at spaced intervals along the trackway are the vehicle signals and their circuits, the vehicles being indicated in the present illustration astrain "A, train B and train C. Thesignals and sig nal circuits upon each of the vehicles are the same and are controlled by cab relays which have been designated CA, CB, CC. Each relay is connected by a wire 67 to the wheels 68, the other side of the relay being electrically connected by wires 66 and 65 to a rod '62, which is ,slidably mounted for vertical movement within insulated guides 63. The

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

rod 62 carries at its lower end a contact shoe 61, which is electrically connected thereto and which is adapted to contact with the contact rails D H D, H, etc., which are spaced at determined distances along the trackway at the usual locations of the distant and home semaphore signals along a trackway. These locations are indicated in the preferred embodiment of the invention by stationary masts or markers which have been in'di-cated 15, 16,17 and 18, the

. markers 15 and 17 being distant markers and the markers 16 and 18, home markers. The upper end of the sliding rod 62 carries a head 64 which is insulated from the contact shoe 61, and controls a circuit controller or spring contact 73. The signals upon the vehicle have been indicated 77 and 80, re

spectively, and correspond to the stop and clear signals, which signals may consist of red and green lamps or any other suitable type of visual or audible signals. The signals 77 and 80 are in parallelbranches'of a circuit which is energized bya battery 71, and includes the spring contact 7 3, the complete circuit for the signals being hereafter traced in connection with the operation of the device. Both of these signal circuits are therefore normally open, since the spring contact or switch 7 3 is biased to assume an open position,'unless mechanically moved to closed position by the upward movement of the rod 62 when the latter is in engagement with one of the contact rails D, H, etc.

The three different conditions of the vehicle signal system are shown by'the three different vehicles along the trackway and the circuit arrangements will be made clear by tracing thecircuits which affect these different conditions.

First referring to train B, the signal system upon this vehicle is in its normal or inactive'condition, since the contact shoe 61 is not in engagement withone of the contact rails and the circuit to both'of the signals 77 and 80 is open at the spring contact 73, as described. t

The signal system for train C is shown in its clear condition with its green lamp 80 lighted. The circuits for giving the clear signal 80 are closed as follows. Since contact shoe is on home contact rail H, the rod 62 has been moved upwardly to cause the insulated head 64: to act against the spring contact 73 to close the circuit to the green lamp as follows: from battery 71, wire 72,

the home marker 16.

spring contact 73, wire 74, front contact 82 of relay CC, Wire 81, clear signal or green lamp 80, wire 79 and wire 78 bacl; to the loattery 71. To close this signal elrcuit, 1t 1s essential that the relay CC be energized from the contact rail H which is accomplished by the current from the'battery 55,

as follows: from battery 55, wire 54:, contact 53 of line relay L wire 52, home contact rail H contact shoe 61, sliding rod 62, wire 65, wire 66, cab relay CC, Wire 67 to the aXle and wheel 68 of the engine, track rail 59, wire 58, contact 57 of line relay L Wire 56, back to the battery 55. The block from the home marker 18 to the next home marker 20 (not shown) is assumed to be unoccupied, since the line relay L is shown to be in its energized position, which closes contacts 53 and 57 forming a part of the circuit just described, which permits the current to pass from the battery 55 to energize the cab relay CC.

Referring now to train A, the presence of the vehicle or train C in the track section T de'energizes the track relay B in the usual manner, and'the presence of the train B in the track section T deenergizes ithe trackrelay R and the open condition of the contact 32 of thetrack relay B and also the open condition of the contact 3% of thetrack relay R prevents the energization of the home line relay L located at Since this relay L is deenergized, the contacts 53 and 57 will ,be in their open position and no current will pass from the battery 55 to the contact rail H and'the open condition of the contact 24 will prevent current from flowing from battery 26 to the distant line relay L, which is loeated adjacent to the distant marker Since the distant line relay L is deenergized, the contacts 13 and -17 controlled bythis relay will be in their open condition, which will prevent the distant contact rail D, with which the contact shoeGl of train A is in engagement from, receiving current from the battery 45. Therefore, since contact rail D is deenergized, no current will pass through the circuit ofthe cab relay CA, which will remain deenergized, and its back contact will remain closed ,as in the train B. However, since the engagement of the contact shoe 61 with the contact rail D ,'w1ll move the rod 62 upwardly, the

spring contact 73 will mechanically close the slgnal' circuit at this point so'that the circuit to the red lamp Wlll be closed as follows: fromcab battery 71, wire 72, spring contact 73, wire 74, back contact 75,'wire 76, red, lamp 77, wire 78, back to the cab battery 71. The displayof the red light 77 within the vehicle when at a distant marker indicates to the-enginernan that the'block from the the track relays R and R to again be energized to close the circuit to the home line relay L i Figs. 2 and 3, when combined, show another embodiment of the invention in which three positive signal indications are adapted to be given in the cab, as for example, by the lighting of red, yellow and green lamps, which correspond to the zero, l5? andfQO positions of a three-position semaphore signal. The red, yellow and greenlamps are designated 77, 83 and 80, respectively, all of which lamps are included in parallel circuits with a battery 71 andthe spring contact-73. The circuit for the redlamp is similar to the circuit for the red lamp in the first modification, and is as follows: from battery'71 to wire 72, spring contact 73, wire 7 1, back-contact 7 5 of the cab relay, wire 76, lamp 77, wire 78, back to the battery 71. The circuit for the green lamp 780 differs from the one shown inthe first' modification in that it includes a polarized armature 87 which is controlled by the cab relay, the circuit for this lamp being as follows: from battery 71 to wire 72, spring contact 73, wire 74, front contact 82 ofthe neutral armature, wire 82 to polar armature 87, polar contact 87 ,wire' 81 to the green lamp 80, wires 79 and/78, back to the battery 71. The circuit for the yellow lame-or caution signal 83 is also controlled by both' the neutral and polar armatures ofthe cab relay,

the circuit for this lamp being as follows: from battery 71, wire 72, spring contact 73, wire 74, front contact 82 of the neutral armature of the cal) relay, wire 82, polar armature 87, polar contact 87*, wire 88 to the yellow lamp or caution signal 83 and wires 79 and 78, back to the battery 71. The cab relays CA, CB, etc, are similar to the modification previously described, connected in circuit with the contact shoe 61 which is adapted to engage with the contact rails 17, H 9, D", H, etc. i i i The control circuits which" arev of the polarized typ'e, will be rendered clear by tracing the circuits which Taffect the signals in the vehicle designated trains A, B, C and D,which are spaced along the trackway.

Referring first to train A, the line control circuit for the linerelay L at thehom'e 1nar- 1&101516,1S as follows: from. relay lf avire 101,

contactlOZof the track relayRt (which is track relay R wire 105, contact 106 of line .relay L wire 107, battery 108, wire 109,

tem back to the line relay L The presence of the train B inthe track .section T holds track relay R dencrgized and its'contact 102 is in open condition as descr bed, which maintains the circuit to .the line control relay Lf open and hence this relay-denergized. The contacts 35 and 13 ofthe line relay L are therefore open so that no current passes from the battery 39 to the home contact rail H The circuit to the distant line relay L which is in multiple withrthe home contact rail H by means of wire 96, contact 95 of track relay R wire 94, line relay L 5, wire 99, contact 98 of relay R and wire 97, is. therefore also open so that the line relay L is denergized. The contacts 127 and 1350f the line relay L are therefore in open position, which prevents the current passing from the battery 131 to the distant contact rail D The presence of the train B in the track section T therefore leaves the home contact rail H and .the distant contact rail D without current. Train A upon the .track section T therefore receives no cur- .rent from the contact rail D and 1ts cab relay CA remainsdenergized, but the upward movement of the sliding rod 62, due to the engagement of the contact shoe 61 with the contact rail, will move the spring contact 7 3 upward to close-the circuit to the red lamp 77, which circuit has been previously traced. The display of a red or stop signal within the cab or vehicle, is

qualified or interpreted in view of the fact that this signal is received when thecontact shoe is upon a distant contact rail to authorize the engmeman to proceed at 02111131011 past the distant marker 15 to the home marker 16, where in case the train B still remains in either track section T or T, the train A will receive a stop signal when the contact shoe 61 engages with the home contact rail II. This stop signal is given when a train occupies, either of the track sections T or T which will cause a denergization of the line relay L as described.

The train 13, which is also disclosed in Fig. 2, is in such a position along the trackwaythat its contactshoe 61 is not in engagement with any of the contact rails along the trackway so that the sliding rod 62 is in its' normal inactive position and the spring contact is open. Since each of the cab signal circuits pass through this spring contact v73, all three signal circuits are open and no signal can be given.

Referring now to train C, which has its contact shoe in engagement with the home contact rail H the line control relay L corresponding to this home contact rail, is

energized by a line control circuit which is similar to that described for the line control relay L 9, and is as follows: from line relay L wire 101, contact 102 of track relay R line wire 103, contact 104 of track relay R wire 105, back contact 113 of line relay L (which is deenergized), wire 109,

to the negative terminal of battery 108, wire 111, back contact 112, to the common line wire of the system, back to the line control relay L Line relay L is deenergized, since the presence of the train D within the track section T which deenergized the track relay R whose contact 102 controls the circuit of the line relay L The back contacts 113 and 112 are therefore closed and these contacts serve as pole changers for the battery 108, so that the current, delivered to the line relay L passes through it in a reverse direction to the normal direction, which will cause the polar contacts ell and 37 to be thrown to shown), which will cause a reverse current to be carried from the battery 39 to the home contactrrail H the polar contacts 37 and 41 serving as pole changing switches for the battery 39. The cab relay CG, when the contact shoe 61 of the train C is in engage- -ment with the home contact rail H therefore receives a reverse current which passes therethrough and causes its polar contact the yellow lamp 83 and wires 79 and 78,

back to the battery 71. The lighting of the yellow lamp 183 indicates to the engineman that the block from the home marker 18 to the home marker 20 is clear, but that the next block is occupied, and the train C will then proceed at caution expecting to receive a stop or a clear signal at the distant contact rail D and also at the home contact rail H The yellow light 83 therefore gives the usual cautionary or one-block indication.

:The green lighter clear signal 80, which is shown in its signal indicating position upon train D, gives the clear or twoblock indication. Assuming that there are two clear blocks ahead of the home marker 22, line relay L corresponding. to this marker will be energized in its normal magnetic condition and its polar contacts 41 and 37 will be thrown to the right and the home contact rail H and also the distant contact rail D will receive a current of normal direction from their respective batteries, the home contact rail H receiving current from the battery 39, and the distant contact rail D from the battery 131. Sincethe train D is shown with its contact shoe in engagement the left (as r with the distant contact rail D and since this distant-contact rail receives current of normal direction from the battery 131, the cab relay CD will be energized by a current passing through it in the normal direction, which will cause the polar contact 87 to be 'thrownto the right, thereby closing the circuit to the green light as follows: from battery 71, wire 72, spring contact 73, wire 74, neutral front contact 82, wire 82, polar armature 87, polar'contact 87 wire 81, to signal lamp 80, wires 7 9 and 78 back to the battery '71. The display of the green light 80 will indicate to the engineman that there are two blocks clear in advance of the home marker 2-2, and as the train proceeds along the trackway, since the condition of the line relay L controls the condition of the distant line relay L, the same signal indication will be given when the contact shoe of the train D engages with the home contact rail H. I 7

It will therefore be seen that in this modification, three difierent signal indications are given in the cab which are, in all respects, similar to the three positions of a semaphore comprising a part of a roadside signal system, and will have the same factor of safety as a normal danger roadside signal system, since each of the cab circuits is normally open, and hence inactive and can only be closed when the apparatus is in proper condition and the contact shoe is in engagement with one of the contact rails alon -the trackway, after which condition is fulhlled the red, yellow or reen signals indicating danger, caut1on, and green may be given, when the line control circuits are 111- tact. This is also true of the modification shown in Fig. 1 with the exception that only dangel and proceed signals are given in that form, and it is not the intention to limit the invention to the particular signaling systems disclosed only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim: i

1. In a railway signal system, a plurality of normally inactive signals carried by the vehicle, a normally inactive circuit controlling each signal, mechanical means carried partially by the vehicle and partially along the trackway for rendering active one of said circuits and the signal controlled therethe trackway for rendering active one of said circuits and the signal controlled thereby, at determined points along the trackway, and electricalmeans, cooperating with said mechanical means and controlled by traffic conditions, a for rendering inactive the first circuit and simultaneously rendering active the second of said circuits and the signal controlled thereby, at the same determined points along the trackway.

3. In a railwaysignal system, a plurality of normally inactive signals carried by the vehicle, a normally open circuitcontrolling eachsignal, mechanical means carried partially by the vehicle and partially along the trackway for closing one of said circuits and actuating the signal controlled thereby,

at determined points along the trackway, and electrical means, cooperating with said mechanical 'means and controlled'by traffic conditions, for closing the second of said circuits and actuating the signal controlled thereby, at the same determined points along the trackway'.

4. In a railway signal system, a plurality of normally inactive signals carried by the vehicle, a normally open circuit controlling each signal, mechanical means carried partially by the vehicle and partiallyalong the trackway for closing one ofsaidcircuits and actuating the signal controlled thereby, at determined points along" the trackvvay, and electrical means, cooperating with said mechanicalmeans and controlled by traffic conditions, for opening the first circuit and simultaneously closing the second of said circuits and actuating thesignalcontrolled by the latter, at the same determined points along the trackway. i

'5. In a railway signal system, aplurality of normally inactive signals carried by a vehicle, a normally inactive circuit for controlling each signal, each of said circuits being open at one point, one of said circuits being normally open at a second point and another of said circuits being normally closed at a second point, and means carried partially by said vehicle. and partially along the trackway for closing each of said circuits at said first named point at determined points along the 'trackvvay and for closing 7 the normally open second pointof one circuit and for opening the'normally closed second point of the other circuit at the same determined points along the trackway but in accordance with traffic conditions.

6. In a railway signal system, a normally inactive signal carried by a vehicle; a normally inactive circuit 'for controlling said signal, said: circuit being normally open at at least three ponts, a mechanical circuit controller controlling one point, a neutral relay controlling another of said points, and a polarized relay controlling the third point, and means carried by said vehicle comeans for opening one of said last two named operating with means along the trackway for closing said circuit at said three points under determined trailic conditions.

7. In a railway signal system, three normally inactive signals carried bya vehicle, a normally open circuit for controlling each of said signals, means on the vehicle for closing each of said circuits at one point, means on said vehicle for opening one of said circuits at a second point and closing the two other circuits at a second point,

circuits at a third point and for closing the other of them at a third point, and means along the trackway controlled by trafiic conditions for controlling said means carried by the vehicle. I

8. In a railway signal system, three normally inactive signals carried by the vehicle, a normally open circuit for each of said signals, a mechanical switch for closing each of said circuits at one point, a neutral relay switch for opening one of said circuits at a second point and closing each of the other two circuits at a second point, and a polarized relay switch for opening one of said two last named circuits at a third point and for closing the other of them at a third point, and ramp rails and control circuits along the trackway for actuating said switches.

In witness whereof, I subscribe my signature.

ROBERT J. HEWETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. 0. 

